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United States Patent |
5,029,873
|
Davis
|
July 9, 1991
|
Method to detect impacts for a toy or game
Abstract
An improved electronic impact detection method for the detection of an
impact upon a toy or game surface. This is accomplished by the use of a
plurality of flexible panels which are interconnected, with each
individual target panel or region bordered with a flex barrier. The flex
barriers allow the target region struck to flex under the impact of a
projectile, while insulating the remaining target regions from effects of
an impact. Piezo electric elements are attached to the underside of these
panels, in this manner the signal produced by an impact will have
sufficient strength to directly drive most digital logic integrated
circuits, thereby requiring a minimum of electronic components associated
with detection. These panels will also not be sufficiently triggered by
common shock or sonic waves, from handling or accompanying an impact.
Thereby assisting to reduce false triggerings of the target or game
surface by external or undersireable elements. This method can easily be
integrated into a common injection molded body and easily assembled.
Inventors:
|
Davis; Steven S. (Denver, CO)
|
Assignee:
|
Davis; Jerry L. (Denver, CO)
|
Appl. No.:
|
567540 |
Filed:
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August 14, 1990 |
Current U.S. Class: |
273/376; 310/311; 310/339 |
Intern'l Class: |
F41J 005/04; H01L 041/08 |
Field of Search: |
273/376,374,372
310/311
|
References Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
3802098 | Apr., 1974 | Sampson et al. | 273/376.
|
4651998 | Mar., 1987 | Holt et al. | 273/374.
|
4761005 | Aug., 1988 | French et al. | 273/1.
|
4824107 | Apr., 1989 | French | 273/1.
|
Other References
"Piezo Film Sensing Devices" Society of Manufacturing Engineers Technical
Paper by William B. Powers, 11-1986.
|
Primary Examiner: Layno; Benjamin
Claims
I claim:
1. A method of detecting an impact of a game element upon a toy or game
target which comprise a flexible target board having an outer surface and
an inner surface, a plurality of rigid interconnected barrier panels, said
barrier panels perpendicularly attached to said inner surface of said
target board, said barrier panels divide said target board into a
plurality of flexible target panels, wherein said barrier panels define
the boundaries of said target panels, a rigid barrier board
perpendicularly attached to said barrier panels and positioned behind or
beneath said target board, a plurality of piezo electric sensor elements
attached to the inner surface of each of said target panels, and a
processing means electrically connected to said sensor elements, said
method comprising the steps of:
projecting a game element toward said target board,
said game element impacting the outer surface of a target panel,
said impacted target panel flexing inward in a concave manner as a result
of the impact with said game element, the piezo electric sensor element
attached to the inner surface of said impacted target panel also flexing
inward producing an electronic signal of a specific polarity,
simultaneously, said barrier board and said barrier panels remaining rigid
while the remaining non-impacted target panels flexing outward in a convex
manner as said non-impacted target panels resist the change in motion
imparted by said impact, the piezo electric sensor elements attached to
the inner surface of each of said non-impacted target panels also flexing
outward producing an electronic signal of a polarity opposite to that
produced by said impacted target panel's piezo electric sensor element,
said processing means receiving and processing said signals for indicating
the impact on said impacted target panel.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to impact detection upon a toy or game
playing surface and more specifically to the electronic detection of
impacts, upon a playing surface of a toy or game using piezo electric
sensor elements.
2. Background-Description of Prior Art
For sometime manufactures of toys and games, have had a need for a method
to detect impacts of projectile game elements such as balls, darts, etc.,
upon a target or game surface. Such a method should be inexpensive, of
reliable function, with ease of manufacture and assembly. It is further
desireable for the method to use a minimum of electronic support parts,
used in accompanying electronic detection circuitry. As well it should be
relatively free from false detection due to extraneous causes such as
shock Many attempts of solving this need have used piezo electric sensor
elements in a detection role. However the manner in which they are used
does little to satisfy the needs set forth. Some examples of prior art
methods using piezo electric sensor elements are set forth in the patents
briefly described below.
The Landsman U.S. Pat. No. 4,822,042 and the Scharer U.S. Pat. No.
4,361,330 shows the use of piezo electric sensor elements to detect
impacts upon a game surface or target. These are used as shockwave
detectors, with support electronic circuitry to determine its approximate
impact upon a target or game surface location Basic X-Y vector components
are provided by the difference in time that it takes the shock wave or
sonic wave to travel to each of the few sensors. This method usually
requires sensor amplification to attain usable signal levels. This method
becomes very suceptable to false triggerings, due to extraneous vibrations
from handling or impacts themselves.
The Conrey U.S. Pat. No. 4,101,132 and the Bon U.S. Pat. No. 4,029,315 both
show the use of piezo electric sensors utilized to measure the change in
tension in a cable member, connected to the target. Which in conjunction
changes in response to a projectile stiking the target or game area. Again
the difference in time required to trigger the sensors upon the cable
elements, is used to determine an approximate X-Y coordinate upon the
target or game surface. These systems also usually require sensor
amplification to get the sensor signals to levels useable by a detection
circuit. These systems would most likely be susceptible to cable element
load variances and binding, as well as cable element elasticity, both of
which can cause detection errors. These systems should also be susceptible
to false triggerings, by sonic vibrations and handling.
In the afore mentioned Patents the methods of detecting impacts specifies
that it uses the onset of the shock or sonic waves through the material to
the closest sensor element. From there further sensor elements detect the
shock or sonic wave, as it moves away from the impact thus determining the
distance from each sensor, thereby being able to determine the approximate
location of the impact. My method uses the uniform inward compression of a
region and thereby the uniform inward compression of an attached piezo
electric sensor element. This signal is considerably stronger and thereby
more uniform and reliable. An intuitive understanding of the two different
components is; if you take a piece of paper and bend it, you can
simultaneously instigate a shock or sonic wave through it while not
affecting the bending of the paper. While the above Patents utilize the
measurement of the shock or sonic waves, my method utilizes the uniform
bending of the piezo electric sensor elements. A piezo electric sensor
element produces electrical energy by a simple bending of its structure,
the greater and more uniformly you can bend it, the larger the electrical
signal it will produce. A shock wave produces a sinusoidal motion through
a surface. This causes some of the piezo electric sensor element to be
bending in the opposite direction shortly after the shockwave begins to
effect the piezo electric sensor element. Thereby producing a signal that
is relatively small, because negative and positive signals present in the
sensor are summed up. This produces only a signal that is as large as the
amount of the summed signal components, taking place in the sensor
element, as the shock wave strikes the piezo electric sensor element and
moves through it. My method is superior since it uses an entire
compression of the piezo electric sensor in one direction, this causes a
much larger signal. Which is more reliable for detection, while being
relatively immune to false triggerings from shock waves. This is further
enhanced, because as an impact takes place upon my design, the panels
which are not struck bend outwardly as a reaction to the impact. This
produces a signal that is of opposite polarity to that of the impacted
sensors signal. These panels then vibrate back and forth from being
impacted producing a mechanical oscillation that diminishes rapidly, with
resultant signals coming from each panel. Using my method, the impact
generated shock waves have little effect upon the detection method, as the
signals produced by such shock waves are not of sufficient levels to
trigger the electronics typically used in my method.
The French U.S. Patent Nos. 4,761,005 and 4,824,107 show the use of piezo
electric film used as sensors, in foam garments to detect impacts
generally upon various parts of the body. The sensor utilizes a
compressive or bending motion in this embodiment, in which to produce an
electric signal from the piezo electric film. However it uses a good deal
of distance in which to separate the strike areas from other strike areas
or nondetection areas. Without the benefit of a flex barrier as my method
incorporates, the foam garments they utilized when impacted in a target or
non target area and the bodies reaction to the impact, will cause
considerable bending and creasing of the garment in the target areas. This
will cause the piezo film to also bend and crease and will result in false
triggerings from the piezo electric film sensors.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Whatever the precise merits, features, and advantages of the above cited
references, none of them as efficiently achieves and fulfills the purposes
of the present impact detection method, in the same manner. Accordingly,
it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a simple
detection method using piezo electric sensor elements, which is reliable,
rugged, and relatively immune from sonic waves caused by non-game element
impacts or sonic vibrations from impacts. Preferably the method should
provide for a target or game surface or body that is easy to manufacture
and assemble and provide for a minimum of electronic detection components.
This invention accomplishes these objectives by the use of a plurality of
flexible panels which are interconnected, with each individual target
region bordered with a flex barrier. The barriers allow the target regions
struck to flex under the impact of a projectile, while insulating the
remaining target regions from the effects of an impact. When piezo
electric sensor elements are used on target or game panels in this manner.
An impacted panel provides an optimum bending or deformation of the
associated piezo electric sensor element, thereby producing an optimum
electrical signal. Generally, common shock or sonic waves from handling or
accompanying an impact will not produce a sufficient signal to trigger the
simple electronic detection circuitry used in this method. Thereby
assisting to reduce false triggerings of the target or game surface by
external or undersireable elements. This method can easily be integrated
into a common injection molded body and assembled with little effort.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a rear view of the preferred target body of the invention,
without the flex barrier support.
FIG. 2 is a front cutaway view of the target body of the preferred
embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a rear view of an alternative target body without the flex
barrier support, employing a plurality of sensors for the panels.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the target body showing the components
of the target body and the deformation of one of the target panels by a
game element.
FIG. 5 is a detailed schematic diagram of the circuitry employed in the
preferred embodiment.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Generally referring now to FIGS. 1,2,3, and 4, the target body 44 comprises
several sections. The target surface 46, which comprises a plurality of
individual target panels 20, for the reception of a game element 32.
Attached beneath and bordering each of these target panels 20 is a flex
barrier 22, which is a very narrow support that protrudes away from the
underside of the target panels 20. The flex barrier 22 should provide
sufficient depth to allow the target panels 20 and their piezo electric
sensor elements 24 to flex unimpeded by the flex barrier support 26, when
impacted. The target panels 20 and the flex barrier 22 should be made from
a pliable material such as wood or plastic and attached to each other so
that the flex barriers 22 correspond to desired target regions.
Alternatively they can more simply be made as a single plastic injection
molded piece. Attached to the underside of each target panel 20, in a
generally centered location is one or more piezo electric sensor elements
24, commonly available. Attached to the flex barrier 22, opposite the side
of the target panels 20 is the flex barrier support 26, which is a flat
member that assists in providing rigidity and closure to the target body
44. The flex barrier support 26 may be constructed of any of a number of
materials such as wood, plastic, or metal to provide rigidity and support
to the target body 44. Around the exterior edge of the target body 44 is
the target body frame 50, which a generally thicker and more resilient
member of the flex barrier 22. This member acts as a flex barrier around
the perimeter and can provide support for the attachment of a stand or
handle as determined by a specific design. The target body frame 50 should
be constructed of the same material as the flex barrier 22 and aids in the
rigidity and durability of the target body 44. Through out the target body
44, the flex barrier support 26 will have to have appropriate apertures
52, through which will pass the sensor connecting leads. These will run to
the location of the impact detection electronic circuitry.
Generally referring now to FIG. 5, a sample of a typical electronic circuit
for use by a microprocessor is illustrated. The piezo electric sensor
elements 24 are shown connected in parallel with resistive elements 34 and
zener diode elements 36, this forms sensor group 56. One lead of this
sensor group 56 is connected to the circuit ground and the other is
connected to one of the logical inputs of a typical 10 line to 4 line BCD
encoder 38, common to the electronic digital logic field. The four BCD
outputs of the 10 line to 4 line BCD encoder 38 are connected to the
inputs of a microprocessor 42 and the inputs of a 4 input OR gate 40. The
output of OR gate 40 is connected to one of the interrupt input terminals
of the microprocessor 42. From this point the further extent of the
circuitry would depend upon the specific application of a designer.
A piezo electric sensor element 24 produces electric energy by a simple
bending of its structure, the greater and more uniformly you can bend it,
the larger the electrical signal it will produce. My method uses the
uniform inward compression of a target panel 20 and thereby the uniform
inward bending of an attached piezo electric sensor element 24. This
signal is considerably strong and uniform and thereby more reliable.
The conventional piezo electric sensor elements 24 are attached to the
underside of the material comprising the target surface 46, with the
appropriate polarity for the detection circuitry. An individual piezo
electric sensor element 24 is positioned in a generally central location
with respect to each of the target panels 20, whose bounderies are
determined by the shape and location of the target body frame 50 and or
flex barrier 22. The target body frame 50 and or flex barrier 22 allows
only the impacted area to flex inward or in a concave manner as
illustrated in FIG. 4 by the flexing panel 20i , when impacted by a game
element 32. As this inward flexing is taking place the attached piezo
electric sensor element 24i is also flexing in an inward or concave
manner. As the piezo electric sensor element 24i is flexing uniformly
inward from the impact, it produces a positive beginning signal large
enough to exceed the trigger levels in most common digital logic
integrated circuits. Simultaneously as this target panel 20i is flexing
inward in a concave manner, the non-impacted target panels 20 will flex
outward slightly in a convex manner as a result of the collision with the
game element 32. Their associated piezo electric sensor elements 24 will
produce a smaller signal, which is beginning in opposite polarity to that
of the impacted target panel 20i. It is the function of the resistive
elements 34 and zener diode elements 36 to assist in conditioning the
electronic signal from the impacted piezo electric sensor elements 24i to
levels typically suitable to directly trigger many different digital logic
integrated circuits, such as a 10 line to 4 line BCD encoder 38. The
resistive elements 34 and zener diode elements 36 also provides
overvoltage protection to these digital logic components in the event that
they were not incorporated with them by the manufacture. Once a signal
exceeds the trigger level of a digital logic component such as the 10 line
to 4 line BCD encoder 38. The 10 line to 4 line BCD encoder 38 outputs the
associated signal to the microprocessor 42 inputs and also to the 4 input
OR gate 40. When this signal reaches the OR gate 40 it inturn outputs a
signal to one of the microprocessors 42 interupt inputs. As the
microprocessors 42 receives this interrupt signal it will initialize its
software. The microprocessor 42 should have software that when initialized
will allow and store the input available from the four BCD lines, output
from the 10 line to 4 line BCD encoder 38. From this point it would be up
to the designer of the individual system as to how these signals are
further used or displayed. Generally there will have to be a short period
immediately following the detection of the impact signal, that the
circuitry or software ignores further signals from any of the piezo
electric sensor elements 24, for a period of approximately 100-400
milliseconds. This is so that the target panels 20 can regain flexing
equilibrium and thereby not produce extraneous signals.
Referring now to FIG. 3, illustrating how a target body 44 may employ a
plurality of piezo electric sensor elements 24 to adequately equip a
target panel 20, for impact detection. The elements should be arranged
around the specific target panel 20, so that an impact upon the target
panel 20 will provide a sufficient inward or concave flexing of at least
one piezo electric sensor element 24, to trigger the attached digital
logic electronic components such as the 10 line to 4 line BCD encoder 38.
Thus the reader will see that the improved impact detection method, by the
use of piezo electric sensor elements 24 attached to flex isolated panels
20 provides a simpler, reliable, inexpensive, yet easy to use in
manufacture; method of impact detection upon a toy or game surface or as
synonymously referred to in the description as a target surface 46. Which
requires a minimum of detection support electronic components and while
providing excellent immunity to shock or sonic wave interference prevalent
in the prior art.
While my above description contains many specificities, these should not be
construed as limitations on the scope of the invention, but rather as an
exemplification of one preferred embodiment thereof. Many other variations
are possible. For example this method may be used to construct small
battery powered games resembling for instance skeeball. It may also be
used on rackets or paddles, to produce a variety of hand held action games
and it can be utilized in pinball, darts, or golf target games. As well
this method can also be used in firearm targets. The signals generated
from impacts with the panels could further be used to assist in
determining the kinetic energy of a projectile, if desireable.
Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be determined not by the
embodiments illustrated, but by the appended claims and their legal
equivalents.
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